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Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

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Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#31

Post by threedots »

_jgdh wrote: post #28
rudiv wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the Indian food in Britain is the best in the world Got about a billion people here who'd like to disagree. In fact, of all the crimes against humanity the British visited on India, I think that assertion might just be the worst.

You’re being heavily downvoted but I can’t imagine by who or why. Certainly not by people who’ve eaten Indian food in both India and the UK. While there are a few good restaurants, most Indian restaurants in the UK are bland beyond reason, catering to the common palate. There’s nothing wrong with liking bland food or restaurants catering to that preference, but let’s not make this extraordinary claim that it’s better…

It's funny to read a thread of people arguing over how good certain food is, as if that was some kind of objective matter amenable to resolution.

Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#32

Post by dingaling »

bfuclusion wrote: post #2

In jest I like to describe British native food as follows: When people are starving, they're willing to eat things they otherwise would throw away. Unfortunately the British decided the PREFERRED those things, and attempt to make every dish taste accordingly.

Not every function has to be a programmatic masterpiece

Not every meal has to be a culinary experience

Meat, potatoes and two veg might be mocked as unadventurous and bland but it's a decent balance and gets the job done.

Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#33

Post by rudiv »

_jgdh wrote: post #28
rudiv wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the Indian food in Britain is the best in the world Got about a billion people here who'd like to disagree. In fact, of all the crimes against humanity the British visited on India, I think that assertion might just be the worst.

You’re being heavily downvoted but I can’t imagine by who or why. Certainly not by people who’ve eaten Indian food in both India and the UK. While there are a few good restaurants, most Indian restaurants in the UK are bland beyond reason, catering to the common palate. There’s nothing wrong with liking bland food or restaurants catering to that preference, but let’s not make this extraordinary claim that it’s better…

TBH I am sick to death of this website and am therefore clearing this comment. Apologies to the commentor responding below - I posted a response to your comment in a previous edit of this comment. Somebody please invite me to the land of crustaceans.

Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#34

Post by rudiv »

threedots wrote: post #31
_jgdh wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re being heavily downvoted but I can’t imagine by who or why. Certainly not by people who’ve eaten Indian food in both India and the UK. While there are a few good restaurants, most Indian restaurants in the UK are bland beyond reason, catering to the common palate. There’s nothing wrong with liking bland food or restaurants catering to that preference, but let’s not make this extraordinary claim that it’s better…

It's funny to read a thread of people arguing over how good certain food is, as if that was some kind of objective matter amenable to resolution.

.

Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#35

Post by unmole »

rudiv wrote: post #33
_jgdh wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re being heavily downvoted but I can’t imagine by who or why. Certainly not by people who’ve eaten Indian food in both India and the UK. While there are a few good restaurants, most Indian restaurants in the UK are bland beyond reason, catering to the common palate. There’s nothing wrong with liking bland food or restaurants catering to that preference, but let’s not make this extraordinary claim that it’s better…

TBH I am sick to death of this website and am therefore clearing this comment. Apologies to the commentor responding below - I posted a response to your comment in a previous edit of this comment. Somebody please invite me to the land of crustaceans.

> We've taken to calling that Punjabi Chinese recently, because that seems more accurate

Indian Chinese cusine was developed by the ethnic Chinese community in Kolkata. I really don't see any distinctive Punjabi influence.

Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#36

Post by Symbiote »

vmilner wrote: post #9
hanoz wrote: post #6

I'm the last person to wave the flag for Britain but I've never understood this meme about our food being bad, when so much of it is inarguably world class. For starters, so to speak, the Full English is obviously the king of breakfasts, a traditional Sunday roast cannot be beaten, we have the best cheese in the world by some considerable distance, and as for puddings, pies, crumbles, custard... well need I say any m…

I was always surprised as a child that mint sauce was singled out in "Asterix in Britain" (or at least the English translation!) as the very worst of English food - as I think it has a delightful subtle taste!

Mint sauce bought in the supermarket is too sweet, and often has artificial thickener.

From age 6 or so, it was my contribution to Sunday dinner. Much better!

Like this: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/realmintsauce_67706

Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#37

Post by Symbiote »

rudiv wrote: post #19
w0mbat wrote: post #14

As most people know, British food has improved a million times since the days of Fanny Craddock on black & white TV. British people know about food now, watch endless foodie shows, they can cook, and the UK supermarkets have great ingredients. The influx of people from what was the empire helped open everybody's horizons. You get the weird situation where the Indian food in Britain is the best in the world, for examp…

> the Indian food in Britain is the best in the world Got about a billion people here who'd like to disagree. In fact, of all the crimes against humanity the British visited on India, I think that assertion might just be the worst.

The comment doesn't appear downvoted now, but it was possibly because "No it's not!" isn't much of an argument.

Maybe you find British Indian food too bland, too dry, too sweet, to have a lack of variety or to use low quality ingredients. Whatever it is, it could more usefully continue the discussion.

However, I think even people who've tried food in both countries (I haven't) will often find themselves arguing, based on their experience. The majority of "Indian" restaurants in Britain are cheap -- a step above a takeaway. Like similar restaurants in Britain, they have a menu based on combining pre-prepared ingredients/sauces to lower costs. There are also middle and some high-end Indian restaurants. I can easily imagine people experiencing "takeaway+" and assuming this standard of food is universal in Britain, or (especially on HN) someone on a business trip to London being taken to a high-end restaurant and generalizing from there.

Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#38

Post by ngcazz »

hanoz wrote: post #6

I'm the last person to wave the flag for Britain but I've never understood this meme about our food being bad, when so much of it is inarguably world class. For starters, so to speak, the Full English is obviously the king of breakfasts, a traditional Sunday roast cannot be beaten, we have the best cheese in the world by some considerable distance, and as for puddings, pies, crumbles, custard... well need I say any m…

It’s an incredibly abundant breakfast, but it is by no means tasteful or refined!

Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#39

Post by Symbiote »

lowbloodsugar wrote: post #16
lmm wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> a traditional Sunday roast cannot be beaten Huh? It's the worst way of preparing meat combined with the worst way of preparing vegetables, managing to destroy both flavour and texture of both. Having grown up in Britain, the memes are on point when it comes to traditional British cooking (though no reflection of the wealth of cooking that actually exists in Britain today).

Roast potatoes, cooked in the fat of the roast, till they are crispy. Carrots and onions roasted to caramel. Juicy meat that falls off the bone. Pork crackling! I don't think every family in Britain automatically has a good chef. Now if we're going to talk about leaks. Ewww. And boiled brussel sprouts. FML.

> Now if we're going to talk about leaks.

That is British houses. Different topic!

But I do like leeks in cheese sauce.

Basic recipe: https://www.recipesmadeeasy.co.uk/leeks-in-cheese-sauce/#gal...

Fancy version: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/cheese-recipes/cheesy-le...

I would cook them in the oven with everything else though, and only very slightly brown the top of the cheese. They then make a good contrast to the roast vegetables.

Re: Fanny Cradock, a lodestar in the foul-tasting odyssey of bad British food

#40

Post by _jgdh »

threedots wrote: post #31
_jgdh wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re being heavily downvoted but I can’t imagine by who or why. Certainly not by people who’ve eaten Indian food in both India and the UK. While there are a few good restaurants, most Indian restaurants in the UK are bland beyond reason, catering to the common palate. There’s nothing wrong with liking bland food or restaurants catering to that preference, but let’s not make this extraordinary claim that it’s better…

It's funny to read a thread of people arguing over how good certain food is, as if that was some kind of objective matter amenable to resolution.

This isn't an argument over say Italian vs French cuisine. That's undecideable.

This is an extraordinary claim that by taking Indian food to the UK, stripping it of it's spice to suit the locals somehow made it better. It'd be like claiming Italian cuisine became better without the tomatoes or Mexican cuisine better without the beans.

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